Multi-well reservoir plate and methods of using same

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to a multi-well reservoir plate and methods of using the same. The multi-well reservoir plate includes a frame portion coupled to a plate portion, where a number of receptacles are formed in the plate portion. The receptacles or wells are sized to receive and support a substance without permitting the substance to leak or discharge from a passage formed in a lower portion of the well and in fluid communication with an upper portion of the well where the substances is supported. In one embodiment, the wells are at least partially filled with a substance, the substance is supported the in the wells for an amount of time, and then the substance is discharged from the wells by applying a force to the substance. By way of example, the force may be a pressure applied to an upper surface of the substance, a pressure (e.g., vacuum) applied to a lower surface of the substance, and/or an inertial force generated by an acceleration of the substance.

1 . A carrier comprising:
 a frame; and   a plate coupled to the frame, the plate having a plurality of receptacles formed in the plate, at least one receptacle having an upper portion having a first wall forming a first volume, a tapered portion having a tapered wall forming a second volume, and a lower portion having a lower wall forming a passage, the tapered portion is disposed between the upper portion and the lower portion, the upper portion includes a receiving opening with a first perimeter, the lower portion includes a discharge opening at one end of the passage, wherein the passage is in fluid communication with the first volume of the upper portion, the discharge opening includes a with a second perimeter that is smaller than the receiving opening of the upper portion by an extent that a substance that is received in one or both of the first and second volumes remains therein until acted upon by an amount of applied force.   
     
     
         2 . The carrier of  claim 1  wherein the tapered portion comprises a necked down portion. 
     
     
         3 . The carrier of  claim 1  wherein the first wall of the upper portion extends radially inward from the first perimeter toward the tapered portion by an angle in a range of about 0-15 degrees. 
     
     
         4 . The carrier of  claim 1  wherein the tapered wall is coupled to the first wall and extends radially inward from the first wall of the upper portion toward the lower wall of the lower portion by an angle in a range of about 10-85 degrees. 
     
     
         5 . The carrier of  claim 1  wherein the lower wall of the lower portion extends radially inward from the tapered wall of the tapered portion toward the discharge opening by an angle in a range of about 0-15 degrees. 
     
     
         6 . The carrier of  claim 1  wherein the plate is made from a material selected from a group consisting of: a glass, a metal, a plastic, and a polyolefin. 
     
     
         7 . The carrier of  claim 1  wherein the first perimeter of the receiving opening located in the upper portion is substantially larger than the second perimeter of the discharge opening located in the lower portion. 
     
     
         8 . The carrier of  claim 1  wherein the number of the plurality of receptacles formed in the plate is in a range of about 2 to 20,000. 
     
     
         9 . The carrier of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a coating applied to a surface area of at least the first wall of the upper portion and the tapered wall of the tapered portion.   
     
     
         10 . The carrier of  claim 9  wherein the coating is substantially non-reactive with a biological substance received in the receptacles. 
     
     
         11 . The carrier of  claim 9  wherein the coating comprises Teflon®. 
     
     
         12 . The carrier of  claim 1  wherein the applied force is an inertial force caused by an acceleration of the carrier. 
     
     
         13 . The carrier of  claim 1  wherein the applied force is an amount of pressure acting on an upper surface of the substance in at least one of the receptacles. 
     
     
         14 . The carrier of  claim 1  wherein the applied force is an amount of pressure applied through the passage of the lower portion and acting on a lower surface of the substance in at least one of the receptacles. 
     
     
         15 . The carrier of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a cover positioned below the plate and in contact with the lower portions of the receptacles.   
     
     
         16 . The carrier of  claim 15  wherein the cover is made from a material selected from the group consisting of: a film, a membrane, a lid and a chemical layer. 
     
     
         17 . The carrier of  claim 15  wherein the plate is pigmented. 
     
     
         18 . A method of using a multi-well reservoir plate, the method comprising:
 adding at least one substance to at least one well of the reservoir plate;   supporting the at least one substance in an upper volume portion of the at least one well for a desired amount of time, wherein a first portion of the at least one substance is supported by a tapered wall of the at least one well and another portion of the at least one substance spans an opening of a passage formed in and extending through a lower portion of the well, the at least one passage in fluid communication with the upper volume portion of the at least one well; and   discharging at least some of the at least one substance from the upper volume portion of the well through and out of the passage in the lower portion of the well by applying an amount of force to the at least one substance.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein adding the at least one substance to the at least one well of the reservoir plate includes pipetting the at least one substance into a receiving opening of the well. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein applying the amount of force to the at least one substance includes applying a pressure. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18  wherein applying the amount of force to the at least one substance includes applying an inertial force. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18  wherein supporting the at least one substance in an upper volume portion of the at least one well for an amount of time includes covering the at least one well with a cover. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 removing the covering before applying the amount of force to the at least one substance.